From Trevor Gleeson’s candid reflection on the Bryce Cotton era and his own NBL future, to a fiery Adelaide-Melbourne rivalry that continues to escalate, and a timely boost for a Cairns side searching for momentum, here are the latest stories around the league currently.
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LEGENDARY COACH WEIGHS IN ON ‘ONE OF THE WORST DECISIONS’ IN NBL HISTORY
Trevor Gleeson is a five-time NBL Champion as head coach of the Perth Wildcats and a two-time NBL Coach of the Year. His resume is firmly etched in NBL history, with his name consistently mentioned among the greatest coaches the league has ever seen.
Now coaching in Japan’s first-division league with the Chiba Jets, Gleeson remains closely connected to the NBL and continues to follow the league with a keen eye.
In a recent episode of Nothing But Net: Aussie Hoops, Gleeson sat down with Kane Pitman and Ryan Broekhoff, where discussion turned to one of his most iconic former players – Bryce Cotton.
“It’s probably going to go down as one of the worst decisions in NBL history to let Bryce go,” Gleeson said.
Gleeson and Cotton spent five seasons together in Perth, forming one of the most successful coach–player partnerships the league has seen. Together, they won three NBL championships in 2017, 2019 and 2020, with Cotton cementing himself as one of the competition’s all-time greats. The bond between the two was evident then and remains strong today.
“He’s just a quality player, five-time MVP,” Gleeson said.
“Any coach in the world would love to have Bryce Cotton on their roster. Absolutely, no question,” he added.
Throughout the offseason, speculation swirled that Gleeson and Cotton could reunite in Japan before Cotton ultimately signed with the Adelaide 36ers. While the reunion never eventuated, it’s clear Gleeson hasn’t lost interest in the idea.
Bryce’s Revenge! 36ers storm home late | 00:29
“I’d love to have Bryce over here,” he said.
As the long-time face of the Wildcats from the sidelines during one of the most successful periods in the club’s history, Gleeson understands better than most the void left when great figures depart an organisation. Speaking on Cotton’s emotional return to Perth on Sunday, Gleeson reflected on the response from the Red Army.
“The Red Army – fantastic support, you know, showing your love and appreciation to Bryce before the game. That was heartwarming, without a question,” he said.
Gleeson’s name is never far from NBL conversations, and with his contract in Japan set to expire at the end of this season, questions around a potential return to the league have naturally intensified. Across a coaching career that has included stints with the Brisbane Bullets, Townsville Crocodiles and Melbourne Tigers, his résumé stands apart from many.
“I love the NBL,” Gleeson said. “I spent 14 years there and learned the craft.”
“I want to finish my career there. When that happens, I don’t know. Maybe next year,” Gleeson added.
While nothing is set in stone, Gleeson confirmed this season is his final contracted year with the Chiba Jets. Though a return to the NBL remains a strong possibility, he hasn’t ruled out other paths.
“Maybe over Europe. Maybe ESPN sitting next to you. Or maybe just in a chair in Bali right on the beach,” Gleeson added.
While the future remains uncertain, one thing is clear: one of the greatest coaches in NBL history is still watching closely. And the league that helped shape his career – along with one of his greatest players in Bryce Cotton – continues to hold a special place in his heart.
‘SOFTEST TECH I HAVE EVER RECEIVED’
While it was only the second meeting of the season between the Adelaide 36ers and Melbourne United, the rivalry once again delivered fireworks on and off the floor.
Their previous clash was decided by a Tyson Walker game-winner, an 81-80 Melbourne escape, and this one somehow raised the stakes even higher. Overtime basketball, star power at every turn and simmering tension ensured this matchup had everything NBL fans crave.
That tension boiled over once again between Chris Goulding and Dejan Vasiljevic. Both players were hit with technical fouls during a heated timeout exchange, the drama unfolding in full view as emotions spilled over heading into their respective huddles.
The flashpoint came midway through the first quarter following a missed foul call on Goulding with 2:30 remaining. Moments later, Vasiljevic drilled a three, only for Goulding to answer straight back at the other end. When Flynn Cameron knocked down another triple, Melbourne head coach Dean Vickerman was forced into a timeout.
As the teams headed to their huddles, Vasiljevic approached the referees, appearing to question the physicality of United’s defence. Goulding quickly inserted himself into the discussion, and the exchange escalated when Vasiljevic pushed Goulding, resulting in technical fouls for both players as they entered their respective benches.
Post-game, Goulding was asked about the incident and made little effort to hide his frustration.
“If DJ comes in here, I’m sure he’ll love to chat about it,” Goulding said, shaking his head.
Vasiljevic later weighed in on social media, resharing the NBL’s clip of the incident on X with the caption: “Softest tech I’ve ever received, make it make sense haha.”
The moment only added another chapter to a growing rivalry between the two sides. In their first meeting of the season, Goulding and 36ers head coach Mike Wells clashed repeatedly after Wells signalled a flop to the officials, sparking a heated face-to-face exchange during a timeout. Later in that same contest, the pair again traded words as Adelaide attempted to inbound the ball, forcing referees to step in and cool tensions.
Reflecting on that earlier incident, Wells downplayed the situation post-game.
“I love him, he’s competitive, he’s a great player and elite at what he does,” Wells said.
“I thought he threw DJ on the possession before, and he thought he got hit on the neck — but that’s just him being competitive, really.”
Saturday night’s clash only fuels the storylines building between two genuine title contenders, with both Adelaide and Melbourne sitting first and second on the ladder through 12 rounds of NBL26 action.
Melbourne United will now turn their attention to a Sunday matchup against the Sydney Kings, while the 36ers prepare to face the Kings themselves on Wednesday, with momentum and plenty of edge firmly in play.
Davis on fire as Kings beat Wildcats | 00:56
STAR SET TO RETURN TO TAIPANS LINEUP
In exciting news for the Cairns Taipans, forward Sam Waardenburg will make his NBL26 season debut this weekend after missing the opening 11 rounds following ankle surgery.
It is a timely boost for the Taipans, who are coming off an impressive 93-76 win over the Illawarra Hawks and now sit at 4-12 heading into their Round 12 clash with the Tasmania JackJumpers on Saturday.
Taipans Lead Assistant Coach Will Lopez highlighted Waardenburg’s basketball IQ as his greatest asset, “IQ is his biggest trait. He’s the smartest guy on the floor in whatever line-up we have,” Lopez said in a club statement.
Waardenburg’s return gives the Taipans greater flexibility offensively, allowing them to play a more modern five-out style that stretches the floor and creates opportunities through pick-and-pop actions.
“Think old school point guard in a 6ft 10in body,” Lopez added when describing Waardenburg’s impact.
Taipans strike with upset win | 01:50
The reigning NBL25 Club MVP averaged 14.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game last season while shooting 50.2 per cent from the field, also contributing one block and 0.8 steals per game across 26 appearances.
That form carried into an impressive stint in Puerto Rico’s BSN, where Waardenburg averaged 17.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists, shooting 53.8 per cent from the field and 36.6 per cent from three-point range. He was named to the BSN All-Star Five, alongside JaVale McGee, Danilo Gallinari, Chris Duarte and Emmanuel Mudiay.
Following their strong Round 11 performance, Cairns will also welcome back Jack McVeigh, with the two inclusions providing a significant boost as the Taipans look to turn their season around and push toward a potential finals berth in NBL26.
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